Dark Shadows Episode 851 - 9/29/69

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!

Quentin arrives at the train station, but the New York train has already left, and Amanda is nowhere to be found.

Tate comes to as Petofi is knocking at his door. He lets him in, and Petofi asks if Quentin got the portrait. He asks where it is. He tells him he will punish him for stealing it, but right now he needs to know if he found it. Tate uncovers it.

 Petofi tells him it's a good thing it's still in good condition. He tells Tate that he will not let him interfere with his plans for Quentin. Tate says Quentin interfered with his plans. He says he asked Amanda to marry him, but she was running off with Quentin. Petofi asks what he planned to do with the portrait. Petofi tells him that he will be keeping the portrait. Petofi asks if it's the first time Tate deceived him, and he says it was. Petofi says he has the portrait, Quentin has Amanda, and Tate has his painting of Amanda. Petofi tells Tate that he too has an ideal woman. He asks Tate to paint her for him. A quick sketch of a dark haired woman with a cat's eyes. Tate reluctantly does a quick sketch.

Petofi urges him to add a final stroke to finish it. Petofi says she's so beautiful that he can't believe she isn't in the room with them. Tate looks around the room.

Petofi says he almost forgave him for stealing the portrait, but Tate was arrogant. He grabs Tate's hand, and then leaves.

Tate sits down and tries to start a new sketch, but he is unable.

Tim arrives at Collinwood and shows Quentin letters from Amanda that he says implies she found a new man. Tim shows him a brooch she left him. Quentin asks Tim for all the information he has on Amanda. Tim says he won't help him, because his only future with Quentin is death. Quentin grabs him and threatens to kill him. Tim says they met in New York. Quentin asks where, and Tim says she'll be hard to find. Quentin throws him out the front door.

From the top of the stairs, Angelique asks why he was so harsh with him. Quentin explains he was interfering with his plans. She asks about his plans, and he says she wouldn't be interested. She says she's very interested, particularly in his wedding plans. He says he has none. She tells him to choose the date. He tells her they can do that when they return from Boston. She asks again for a wedding date. He goes upstairs to pack, and Petofi arrives at Collinwood. He asks if Quentin has left yet. She asks if he knew he was going away. Petofi says it's hard to believe someone would choose another woman over her. He tells her they have a common cause at last.

Quentin comes downstairs with a small bag to find Petofi waiting. He says he came when he heard that Quentin was leaving with Amanda. Quentin says he can't stop him, and Petofi explains that he didn't come to stop him and doesn't need to be near him to get what he needs from him.

Tim picks up a note from Amanda when Petofi comes to see him. He tells Tim that he's sorry Amanda chose Quentin over him. he asks if the letter is from Amanda, and Tim says it is. Petofi asks Tim if he would like him to put the situation right. Tim says yes. Petofi tells Tim that he had Tate draw a picture for him, but the person didn't appear. Tim says he didn't imagine it. Petofi says he saw what he wanted to see, the way a hungry man sees food when it isn't there. He assures Tim there are still ways they can be of use to one another. He leaves, Tim not realizing that he has taken Amanda's brooch.

Quentin is at the train station when Angelique appears. She points out that he's on the New York platform, despite having told her he was going to Boston. She says she knows he's going to find Amanda. He says he tried to care for her, but he loves Amanda. She tells him not to get on the train, and he says she can kill him if she wants. She tells him that she wouldn't harm him if he gets on the train, but Amanda would not be as fortunate. She pulls out a doll and Amanda's brooch, suggesting that she'll die horribly and painfully, if Quentin gets on the train.

Our thoughts

John: I love how Petofi toys with Tate. And while I love that the sketch he did in a few seconds was a near-finished portrait, I was disappointed that she didn't appear.

Christine: It is a mystery how Tate's gift of creation works, though I am surprised that Petofi wasn't a little more determined to test whether or not what Tim Shaw told him was true before removing the power to create from Tate. It seems Tate has been sketching more women. I wonder if a bevy of beautiful new actresses are about to arrive in Collinsport, courtesy of his charcoal pencil.

John: I still think the only thing missing from the new series within a series, "Everyone Loves Amanda!" is the presence of Barnabas. Somebody needs to get that stake removed, STAT!

Christine: I don't expect Barnabas to jump on the Amanda bandwagon while he's got the reincarnation of his beloved Josette around. I wonder how long it will take Julia to realize she can restore her boyfriend by de-staking him.

John: All this train talk has got me wondering. Before last Friday, have we been back to the train station since Vicky's arrival in Collinsport in the premiere episode, all those years ago?

Christine: The last time we were at the train station was when Edward arrived in Collinsport with Rachel Drummond in Episode 705. After another fun scuffle with Quentin over Amanda, I am hoping all three lovestruck guys will be able to get together for one big, nasty brawl before Angelique has a chance to dispose of her.

Episode 705

Down for the Count:
Barnabas was staked in his coffin 6 episodes ago.

Dark Shadows Episode 850 - 9/26/69

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!

Quentin assures Amanda that Tate is wrong, and that she is human. He says he will meet her at the train station in a little over an hour as they've scheduled.

Trask searches Collinwood for Amanda. Quentin returns and accuses Quentin of having done something with her. He suggests that she may have gone away with Tate. Trask demands to know where she is. He tells her that when he finds her, he'll tell him. Trask threatens to make his life miserable, and Quentin tells him that his mere existence makes his life miserable.

Tate considers burning Quentin's portrait, which would make his werewolf curse return with the next full moon. He wonders what Quentin will do when he discovers the portrait is gone.

Quentin packs for his trip when Nora comes in. She asks him why Jamison is mad at him. She notices he's packing and asks if he's going away. He says that he is. He asks her to promise not to tell anyone that he's leaving. She promises him. She says she'll miss him, and he says he'll miss her, too.

He asks her another favor. He asks her to tell Jamison that he loves him, too. She says Jamison is mad that Quentin is going to marry Angelique. She asks if he's going to take the painting, and he says it is, but finds it's missing when he removes the cover. He writes a note to Amanda saying he may not be able to leave on the six o'clock train. He asks Nora to deliver the letter to Amanda at the rectory. She agrees, and takes the letter. He wonders if Petofi or Tate took the portrait.

Nora starts to sneak out, but is caught by Trask. He asks where she's going. She says she's going to find Jamison. Trask presses her, and accuses her of lying. She runs out the front door.

Quentin arrives at Tate's and demands the portrait he stole. Tate denies it. Quentin says he checked with Petofi, and he didn't have it so Tate must. He accuses Tate of taking it in an attempt to control Amanda. Quentin starts searching for it and Tate throws him. They grapple, and Quentin breaks a bottle over Tate's head. He resumes looking for the portrait.

Nora makes her way to the rectory when Trask stops her. He tells her that he found Jamison in his room. He asks her who lives in the house she was going to. He asks her what she has in her hand, and demands that she give it to him. He calls her an evil child, and takes it from her. He says she will stay right there, and opens the letter to read it.

Amanda is packing when there's a knock at the door. It's Trask. She tells him he needn't bother coming in, but he does. He says he cannot let her life here end like this. She tells him that she has not been honest with him. He says he knows she's running away with Quentin. She doesn't deny it. He says that she came to him despondent under the effects of a man, and she tells him she was lying. She was setting him up to fall in love with her. She says she realized that he deserved it. He tells her he wants to save her. He asks her if Quentin is going to bring Angelique with him. He says when he left, they were laughing and making plans to have dinner at the Inn tonight. He tells her Quentin is incapable of morality. She tells him to get out. He says he's her only friend. She tells him she never wants to see him again.

Quentin searches everywhere for the portrait, except on the easel where Tate hid it.

Quentin arrives at the rectory, but Amanda is not there. Nora is, and she tells him that Trask took his note from her. He realizes that he has to get to the train station.

Amanda is alone at the train station. The conductor tells her that the six o'clock train is about to leave.

Our thoughts

John: Do you think Tate painted over the scar in the portrait? Or the more likely excuse that the prop department just gave him the wrong one?

Today's episode

Yesterday's episode

Christine: I'm not sure what to make of the case of the missing scar. I could be wrong, but the seascape that Tate is working on when Quentin arrives appears to be eerily similar to one that Sam had displayed on the easel behind him in Episode 164, and the portrait lying on the ground when Quentin leaves looks very much like the one that was identified in Episode 22 as Sam's portrait of Maggie's Mom.

Today's episode

Episode 164

Today's episode

Episode 22

John: Nora asks Quentin why Jamison is mad at him, and then proceeds to tell him he's mad because Quentin is going to marry Angelique. You'd think he'd tell her to tell Jamison that he's not going to marry Angelique, in which case he might be forgiven. 

Christine: I don't think he'd forgive him any more for marrying Amanda instead when the reason he's mad is because Quentin dumped Beth. Can anyone identify the incidental actor playing the train conductor? He sounds awfully familiar.

John: Wow! That sure looked like a real fight between Tate and Quentin—barely choreographed. The cameramen had a heck of a time tracking them. I don't know if Davis and Selby truly had bad blood between them, but it's almost more exciting to think that they did!

Christine: Roger Davis brawls are always a sight to behold for their realism! I can't say if the man has any deep seated aggression that he's drawing from in his acting, but he sure makes it look as though he does.

Down for the Count:
Barnabas was staked in his coffin 5 episodes ago.

Dark Shadows Episode 849 - 9/25/69

Amazon Prime members can stream today's episode free!

Kitty goes to see Petofi. She says he thinks she's a fool he can play tricks on. She accuses him of sending Charity to see her. She says she was frightened when she found the music box that played the tune Charity hummed. She pulls out the music box and tells him to try his tricks on someone else. He picks up the music box and opens it. He tells her he's never seen it before. He says it is his style, and he hates to think who would imitate him.

He tells her she must have an admirer in Collinwood. She says an admirer would not send Charity to see her. He tells her that he hopes she will get the money she desires. They narrow down the suspects to Quentin. He says they will discuss whether he is attracted to her as they walk back to Collinwood. She opens the music box once again and sees flashes of Barnabas' portrait. Petofi says it means something to her. She agrees, but adds that she doesn't understand it.

Quentin tells Julia he loves Amanda, and asks if she can stay with her until they leave. He asks her again why she won't try to go back to her own time. She says she can't explain, but she must finish the work Barnabas started. He says if she has to deal with Petofi and Aristede, perhaps he should stay. She says she hasn't seen Aristede in some time, and she's developed a truce with Petofi. She encourages him to take Amanda and go. She says Petofi will not always be the threat he is now. She promises that she's not giving up.

Beth comes downstairs in Petofi's lair, and doesn't see someone hiding behind a door. Aristede come in and asks her what she's doing. He asks if Petofi replaced him, and tells her he's back for good.

Petofi brings Kitty to Collinwod, and leaves her at the door so no one will know they are acquainted.

Kitty finds Quentin in the drawing room. She ask if she owes him thanks, and shows him the music box and he asks where she got it. She says she was hoping he could tell her. She asks if he's seen it before and he says it can't be the same one. He says it belonged to a relative, and she asks if it was Barnabas Collins. He asks how she knows the name, and she says she wouldn't forget a vampire. He tells her that Barnabas is dead. She says she thinks she saw him the night she arrived. She can't believe he was a vampire. She asks if the music box was his, why would someone give it to her.

Petofi returns to his lair, where he finds Aristede. He says he sent Beth on an errand. Petofi asks where he's been. He slaps Aristede across the face. He explains that he left because Barnabas threatened to destroy him. Petofi calls him a bumbling fool.

He asks what his last request was, and he says it was killing Julia. Petofi tells him his plan didn't work. Aristede takes him to the room and shows him where the bullet went through her and the chair. Petofi is amazed. He leaves Aristede. Beth comes downstairs and asks him what's wrong with Petofi. Aristede says Petofi's glad to have him back.

Petofi comes to visit Julia. She asks what he wants. He says he's come to pay his respects. He pours them each a brandy, and pours something into hers. He hands her the drink, and toasts her enjoyment of 1897.

She takes a drink and asks him why he came. He says he came to watch her die. He explains there was cyanide in her brandy, and he wants to see if it kills her. She gets up, and he tells her to stop. She says that she would like to act it out for him, to make him think she felt the pain of the poison, but she knows he would wait to the very end. He asks why she cannot die. She explains that her body is in a trance in 1969, and he realizes her astral self can't be killed. He leaves her.

Aristede compliments Beth on her cooking. She says she didn't come there to cook. Petofi returns and sends Aristede away. Aristede asks if he found Julia alive. He says he did, and tells him again to leave.

Petofi tells Beth that she has been a great help to him. He reminds her that she went to the future the other night. He speaks about how her astral self is safe while she travels through time. She points out that Charity killed Barnabas, and he explains in great detail how Barnabas' living in their time provided him with a real body to live in. He opens a cabinet and tells her to look inside.

He asks her what she sees. Beth describes seeing Collinwood, but with different lights and furniture. She then sees Quentin, dressed differently. She sees him with a gun that's different than theirs. She explains that Quentin looks no older than he does now. Petofi tells her that she will remember nothing. She comes out of her trance, and he tells her he knows how he shall go to the future.

Our thoughts

John: How exactly would Kitty know where to find Petofi?

Christine: Perhaps it's one of many lairs he maintains in the area. Since he had dealings with her husband, who knew Roger, it's possible Petofi was hanging out in the Collinsport lair when she was visiting Collinwood with her husband in the past. Ouch! I think I pulled something while stretching myself to try and explain that. Perhaps we should just assume that being a reincarnated being gives Kitty psychic powers and leave it at that.

John: I have to say, Aristede's return was rather anticlimactic. I thought he was going to show Petofi that he picked up a protective amulet so that he couldn't be harmed. Instead, he shows off a new cravat that Petofi would just as soon strangle him with.

Christine: I love the way he was grinning with pride in showing off his new fashion accessory. I think we know now how Petofi engendered his loyalty. He made him the style icon that he truly is, in exchange for being his heavy.

John: We finally got a glimpse of Quentin sporting 1969 threads! Do you think this means his contract won't run out when we return from the 1897 flashback?

Christine: I think it means that Petofi has developed a harebrained scheme for getting to the future. It's the most garish thing we've seen on the show yet! I personally would have preferred to see him in a paisley tunic with love beads, sunglasses and a headband. The pumpkin orange shirt and Halloween themed tie were seasonally appropriate, but not well suited to a late 60s model Quentin.

Down for the Count:
Barnabas was staked in his coffin 4 episodes ago.